Professor Horner’s Reading Plan

¹Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two, into every city and place where He was about to go.

²He was saying to them, "The harvest is abundant [for there are many who need to hear the good news about salvation], but the workers [those available to proclaim the message of salvation] are few. Therefore, [prayerfully] ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

³Go your way; listen carefully: I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

⁴Do not carry a money belt, a provision bag, or [extra] sandals; and do not greet anyone along the way [who would delay you].

⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ' Peace [that is, a blessing of well-being and prosperity, the favor of God] to this house.'

⁶And if anyone of peace is there [someone who is sweet-spirited and hospitable], your [blessing of] peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

⁷Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not move from house to house.

⁸Whenever you go into a city and they welcome you, eat what is set before you;

⁹and heal those in it who are sick [authenticating your message], and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

¹⁰But whatever city you enter and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,

¹¹'Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you [breaking all ties]; yet understand this, that the kingdom of God has come near [and you rejected it].'

¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable in that day [of judgment] for Sodom than for that city.

¹³"Woe (judgment is coming) to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented and changed their minds long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes [to show deep regret for sin].

¹⁴However, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you.

¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades (the realm of the dead).

¹⁶"The one who listens to you listens to Me; and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and the one who rejects Me rejects Him [My heavenly Father] who sent Me."

¹⁷The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

¹⁸He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like [a flash of] lightning.

¹⁹Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.

²⁰Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

²¹In that very hour He was overjoyed and rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants [the childlike and untaught]. Yes, Father, for this way was [Your gracious will and choice, and was] well-pleasing in Your sight.

²²All things have been transferred and turned over to Me by My Father and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him."

²³Then turning to His disciples, Jesus said privately, "Blessed [joyful, spiritually enlightened, and favored by God] are the eyes which see what you see,

²⁴for I say to you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, and they did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

²⁵And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

²⁶Jesus said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

²⁷And he replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."

²⁸Jesus said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live."

²⁹But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

³⁰Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, who stripped him of his clothes [and belongings], beat him, and went their way [unconcerned], leaving him half dead.

³¹Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

³²Likewise a Levite also came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side [of the road].

³³But a Samaritan (foreigner), who was traveling, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was deeply moved with compassion [for him],

³⁴and went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them [to sooth and disinfect the injuries]; and he put him on his own pack-animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

³⁵On the next day he took out two denarii (two days' wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.'

³⁶Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to the man who encountered the robbers?"

³⁷He answered, "The one who showed compassion and mercy to him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and constantly do the same."

³⁸Now while they were on their way, Jesus entered a village [called Bethany], and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

³⁹She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord's feet and was continually listening to His teaching.

⁴⁰But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, "Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help me and do her part."

⁴¹But the Lord replied to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things;

⁴²but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her."

¹Then Joseph could not control himself [any longer] in front of all those who attended him, and he called out, "Have everyone leave me." So no man stood there when Joseph revealed himself to his brothers.

²Joseph wept aloud, and the Egyptians [who had just left him] heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it.

³Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?" But his brothers were speechless, for they were stunned and dismayed by [the fact that they were in] Joseph's presence.

⁴And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And they approached him. And he said, "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

⁵Now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to save life and preserve our family.

⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five more years in which there will be no plowing and harvesting.

⁷God sent me [to Egypt] ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great escape.

⁸So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

⁹Hurry and go up to my father, and tell him, 'Your son Joseph says this to you: "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.

¹⁰You shall live in the land of Goshen [the best pasture land of Egypt], and you shall be close to me—you and your children and your grandchildren, your flocks and your herds and all you have.

¹¹There I will provide for you and sustain you, so that you and your household and all that are yours may not become impoverished, for there are still five years of famine to come."'

¹²Look! Your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that I am speaking to you [personally in your language and not through an interpreter].

¹³Now you must tell my father of all my splendor and power in Egypt, and of everything that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here."

¹⁴Then he embraced his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck.

¹⁵He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

¹⁶When the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.

¹⁷Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this: load your animals and return to the land of Canaan [without delay],

¹⁸and get your father and your households and come to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat (the finest produce) of the land.'

¹⁹Now you [brothers of Joseph] are ordered [by Pharaoh], 'Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come.

²⁰Do not be concerned with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"

²¹Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.

²²To each of them Joseph gave changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing.

²³To his father he sent the following: ten male donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provision for his father [to supply all who were with him] on the journey.

²⁴So he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, "See that you do not quarrel on the journey [about how to explain this to our father]."

²⁵So they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father,

²⁶and they said to him, "Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." But Jacob was stunned and his heart almost stopped beating, because he did not believe them.

²⁷When they told him everything that Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

²⁸And Israel (Jacob) said, "It is enough! Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

¹Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

²For by this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval.

³By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which it was testified of him that he was righteous (upright, in right standing with God), and God testified by accepting his gifts. And though he died, yet through [this act of] faith he still speaks.

⁵By faith [that pleased God] Enoch was caught up and taken to heaven so that he would not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found because God had taken him; for even before he was taken [to heaven], he received the testimony [still on record] that he had walked with God and pleased Him.

⁶But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

⁷By faith [with confidence in God and His word] Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith.

⁸By faith Abraham, when he was called [by God], obeyed by going to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went, not knowing where he was going.

⁹By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land, as in a strange land, living in tents [as nomads] with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

¹⁰For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has foundations, [an eternal, heavenly city] whose architect and builder is God.

¹¹By faith even Sarah herself received the ability to conceive [a child], even [when she was long] past the normal age for it, because she considered Him who had given her the promise to be reliable and true [to His word].

¹²So from one man, though he was [physically] as good as dead, were born as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand on the seashore.

¹³All these died in faith [guided and sustained by it], without receiving the [tangible fulfillment of God's] promises, only having seen (anticipated) them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

¹⁴Now those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own.

¹⁵And if they had been thinking of that country from which they departed [as their true home], they would have had [a continuing] opportunity to return.

¹⁶But the truth is that they were longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. For that reason God is not ashamed [of them or] to be called their God [even to be surnamed their God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]; for He has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise];

¹⁸to whom it was said, "Through Isaac your descendants shall be called."

¹⁹For he considered [it reasonable to believe] that God was able to raise Isaac even from among the dead. [Indeed, in the sense that he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God] Abraham did receive him back [from the dead] figuratively speaking.

²⁰By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau [believing what God revealed to him], even regarding things to come.

²¹By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff.

²²By faith Joseph, when he was dying, referred to [the promise of God for] the exodus of the sons of Israel [from Egypt], and gave instructions concerning [the burial of] his bones [in the land of the promise].

²³By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king's (Pharaoh's) decree.

²⁴By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

²⁵because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.

²⁶He considered the reproach of the Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God].

²⁷By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen.

²⁸By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel).

²⁹By faith the people [of Israel] crossed the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.

³⁰By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days [by Joshua and the sons of Israel].

³¹By faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies [sent by the sons of Israel] in peace.

³²And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,

³³who by faith [that is, with an enduring trust in God and His promises] subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions,

³⁴extinguished the power of [raging] fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became mighty and unbeatable in battle, putting enemy forces to flight.

³⁵Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured [to death], refusing to accept release [offered on the condition of denying their faith], so that they would be resurrected to a better life;

³⁶and others experienced the trial of mocking and scourging [amid torture], and even chains and imprisonment.

³⁷They were stoned [to death], they were sawn in two, they were lured with tempting offers [to renounce their faith], they were put to death by the sword; they went about wrapped in the skins of sheep and goats, utterly destitute, oppressed, cruelly treated

³⁸(people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and [living in] caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹And all of these, though they gained [divine] approval through their faith, did not receive [the fulfillment of] what was promised,

⁴⁰because God had us in mind and had something better for us, so that they [these men and women of authentic faith] would not be made perfect [that is, completed in Him] apart from us.

¹My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God's law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father's will in every way—purpose, thought, and action].

²And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.

³And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings).

⁴Whoever says, "I have come to know Him," but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the truth [of the divine word] is not in him.

⁵But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:

⁶whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.

⁷Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [before from us].

⁸On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true and realized in Christ and in you, because the darkness [of moral blindness] is clearing away and the true Light [the revelation of God in Christ] is already shining.

⁹The one who says he is in the Light [in consistent fellowship with Christ] and yethabitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in the darkness until now.

¹⁰The one who loves and unselfishly seeks the best for his [believing] brother lives in the Light, and in him there is no occasion for stumbling or offense [he does not hurt the cause of Christ or lead others to sin].

¹¹But the one who habitually hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is in [spiritual] darkness and is walking in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹²I am writing to you, little children (believers, dear ones), because your sins have been forgiven for His name's sake [you have been pardoned and released from spiritual debt through His name because you have confessed His name, believing in Him as Savior].

¹³I am writing to you, fathers [those believers who are spiritually mature], because you know Him who has existed from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men [those believers who are growing in spiritual maturity], because you have been victorious and have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children [those who are new believers, those spiritually immature], because you have come to know the Father.

¹⁴I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has existed from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the word of God remains [always] in you, and you have been victorious over the evil one [by accepting Jesus as Savior].

¹⁵Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

¹⁶For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence in one's resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father, but are from the world.

¹⁷The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God and carries out His purposes lives forever.

¹⁸Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming [the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace Him], even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.

¹⁹They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine], so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us.

²⁰But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error].

²¹I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie [nothing false, no deception] is of the truth.

²²Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)? This is the antichrist [the enemy and antagonist of Christ], the one who denies and consistently refuses to acknowledge the Father and the Son.

²³Whoever denies and repudiates the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses and acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

²⁴As for you, let that remain in you [keeping in your hearts that message of salvation] which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you too will remain in the Son and in the Father [forever].

²⁵This is the promise which He Himself promised us—eternal life.

²⁶These things I have written to you with reference to those who are trying to deceive you [seducing you and leading you away from the truth and sound doctrine].

²⁷As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].

²⁸Now, little children (believers, dear ones), remain in Him [with unwavering faith], so that when He appears [at His return], we may have [perfect] confidence and not be ashamed and shrink away from Him at His coming.

²⁹If you know that He is absolutely righteous, you know [for certain] that everyone who practices righteousness [doing what is right and conforming to God's will] has been born of Him.

¹Then I looked again and considered all the acts of oppression that were being practiced under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

²So I congratulated and thought more fortunate are those who are already dead than the living who are still living.

³But better off than either of them is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

⁴I have seen that every [effort in] labor and every skill in work comes from man's rivalry with his neighbor. This too is vanity (futility, false pride) and chasing after the wind.

⁵The fool folds his hands [together] and consumes his own flesh [destroying himself by idleness and apathy].

⁶One hand full of rest and patience is better than two fists full of labor and chasing after the wind.

⁷Then I looked again at vanity under the sun [in one of its peculiar forms].

⁸There was a certain man—without a dependent, having neither a child nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, "For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?" This too is vanity (a wisp of smoke, self-conceit); yes, it is a painful effort and an unhappy task.

⁹Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor;

¹⁰for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up.

¹¹Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?

¹²And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

¹³A poor yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction and counsel (friendly reproof, warning)—

¹⁴for the poor youth has [used his wisdom and] come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.

¹⁵I have seen all the living under the sun join with the second youth (the king's acknowledged successor) who replaces him.

¹⁶There is no end to all the people; to all who were before them. Yet those who come later will not be happy with him. Surely this also is vanity (emptiness) and chasing after the wind.

¹A Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the divine assembly; He judges among the gods (divine beings).

²How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.

³Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice and maintain the rights of the afflicted and destitute.

⁴Rescue the weak and needy; Rescue them from the hand of the wicked.

⁵The rulers do not know nor do they understand; They walk on in the darkness [of complacent satisfaction]; All the foundations of the earth [the fundamental principles of the administration of justice] are shaken.

⁶I said, "You are gods; Indeed, all of you are sons of the Most High.

⁷"Nevertheless you will die like men And fall like any one of the princes."

⁸Arise, O God, judge the earth! For to You belong all the nations.

¹A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger.

²The tongue of the wise speaks knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable, But the [babbling] mouth of fools spouts folly.

³The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good [in all their endeavors].

⁴A soothing tongue [speaking words that build up and encourage] is a tree of life, But a perversive tongue [speaking words that overwhelm and depress] crushes the spirit.

⁵A [flippant, arrogant] fool rejects his father's instruction and correction, But he who [is willing to learn and] regards and keeps in mind a reprimand acquires good sense.

⁶Great and priceless treasure is in the house of the [consistently] righteous one [who seeks godly instruction and grows in wisdom], But trouble is in the income of the wicked one [who rejects the laws of God].

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge [sifting it as chaff from the grain]; But the hearts of [shortsighted] fools are not so.

⁸The sacrifice of the wicked is hateful and exceedingly offensive to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight!

⁹The way [of life] of the wicked is hateful and exceedingly offensive to the LORD, But He loves one who pursues righteousness [personal integrity, moral courage and honorable character].

¹⁰There is severe discipline for him who turns from the way [of righteousness]; And he who hates correction will die.

¹¹Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) and Abaddon (the abyss, the place of eternal punishment) lie open before the LORD— How much more the hearts and inner motives of the children of men.

¹²A scoffer [unlike a wise man] resents one who rebukes him and tries to teach him; Nor will he go to the wise [for counsel and instruction].

¹³A heart full of joy and goodness makes a cheerful face, But when a heart is full of sadness the spirit is crushed.

¹⁴The mind of the intelligent and discerning seeks knowledge and eagerly inquires after it, But the mouth of the [stubborn] fool feeds on foolishness.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are bad, But a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of the circumstances].

¹⁶Better is a little with the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the LORD Than great treasure and trouble with it.

¹⁷Better is a dinner of vegetables and herbs where love is present Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

¹⁸A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger and patient calms disputes.

¹⁹The way of the lazy is like a hedge of thorns [it pricks, lacerates, and entangles him], But the way [of life] of the upright is smooth and open like a highway.

²⁰A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Foolishness is joy to him who is without heart and lacks [intelligent, common] sense, But a man of understanding walks uprightly [making his course straight].

²²Without consultation and wise advice, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they are established and succeed.

²³A man has joy in giving an appropriate answer, And how good and delightful is a word spoken at the right moment—how good it is!

²⁴The [chosen] path of life leads upward for the wise, That he may keep away from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) below.

²⁵The LORD will tear down the house of the proud and arrogant (self-righteous), But He will establish and protect the boundaries [of the land] of the [godly] widow.

²⁶Evil plans and thoughts of the wicked are exceedingly vile and offensive to the LORD, But pure words are pleasant words to Him.

²⁷He who profits unlawfully brings suffering to his own house, But he who hates bribes [and does not receive nor pay them] will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous thinks carefully about how to answer [in a wise and appropriate and timely way], But the [babbling] mouth of the wicked pours out malevolent things.

²⁹The LORD is far from the wicked [and distances Himself from them], But He hears the prayer of the [consistently] righteous [that is, those with spiritual integrity and moral courage].

³⁰The light of the eyes rejoices the hearts of others, And good news puts fat on the bones.

³¹The ear that listens to and learns from the life-giving rebuke (reprimand, censure) Will remain among the wise.

³²He who neglects and ignores instruction and discipline despises himself, But he who learns from rebuke acquires understanding [and grows in wisdom].

³³The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the instruction for wisdom [its starting point and its essence]; And before honor comes humility.

¹Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, although at that time I had not set up doors in the gates,

²Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me.

³So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave to come down to [meet with] you?"

⁴They sent word to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same way.

⁵Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.

⁶In it was written, "It is reported among the [neighboring] nations, and Gashmu is saying that you and the Jews are planning to revolt, and that is the reason you are rebuilding the wall. And according to these reports, you are to be their king.

⁷Also [it is reported that] you have appointed prophets to make a proclamation concerning you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' And now these things will be reported to the [Persian] king. So come now, and let us consult together."

⁸I sent a message to him, saying, "Such things as you are saying have not been done; you are inventing them in your own mind."

⁹For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done." But now, [O God,] strengthen my hands.

¹⁰When I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, "Let us meet [and take refuge] together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple, because they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night."

¹¹But I said, "Should a man like me flee [in fear and hide]? Should someone like me enter the temple [for sanctuary] to save his life? I will not go."

¹²Then I realized that God had not sent him, but he spoke this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

¹³He was hired for this reason, that I would be frightened and do as he said and sin, so that they would have [grounds to make] a malicious report in order to censure and disgrace me.

¹⁴Remember, O My God, Tobiah and Sanballat in regard to these actions of theirs, and also [remember] the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.

¹⁵So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty-two days.

¹⁶When all our enemies heard about it, and all the [Gentile] nations around us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

¹⁷Moreover, in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

¹⁸For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

¹⁹Also, they were speaking about Tobiah's good deeds in my presence, and reporting to him what I said. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

¹On the twenty-first day of the seventh month (Oct 17, 520 b.c., the second year of Darius king of Persia), the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying,

²"Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

³'Who is left among you who saw this house (temple) in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?

⁴But now be courageous, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD, 'be courageous also, Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and be courageous, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' declares the LORD of hosts.

⁵'As for the promise which I made with you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit stands [firm and immovable] and continues with you; do not fear!'

⁶"For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Once more, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

⁷'I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the desirable and precious things of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory and splendor,' says the LORD of hosts.

⁸'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,' declares the LORD of hosts.

⁹'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and in this place I shall give [the ultimate] peace and prosperity,' declares the LORD of hosts."

¹⁰On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Dec 18, 520 b.c.), in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying,

¹¹"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Ask the priests for a ruling:

¹²'If a man carries meat that is holy [because it has been offered in sacrifice to God] in the fold of his garment, and he touches bread, or cooked food, or wine, or oil, or any [kind of] food with this fold, does what he touches become holy [dedicated exclusively to God's service]?'" And the priests answered, "No!" [ Holiness is not transferrable.]

¹³Then Haggai said, "If one who is [ceremonially] unclean because of [contact with] a corpse touches any of these [articles of food], will it be unclean?" And the priests answered, "It will be unclean." [Ceremonial uncleanness, like sin, is infectious.]

¹⁴Then Haggai answered, " 'So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,' declares the LORD, 'and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there [on the altar] is unclean [because they who offer it are unclean].

¹⁵But now, do consider [what will happen] from this day forward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,

¹⁶from that time when one came to a grain heap expecting twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures, there would be only twenty.

¹⁷I struck you and the work of your hands with scorching wind, mildew, and hail; yet you did not come back to Me,' declares the LORD.

¹⁸'Do consider from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the LORD was founded, consider:

¹⁹Is the seed still in the barn? As to the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree—they have not produced. Yet from this day on I will bless you [in the harvest of your crops].'"

²⁰And again the word of the LORD came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month (Dec 18, 520 b.c.), saying,

²¹"Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

²²I will [in the distant future] overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the [ungodly] nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them, and the horses and their riders will go down, every one by the sword of his brother [annihilating one another].

²³'On that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, My servant,' declares the LORD, 'and I will make you [through the Messiah, your descendant] like a signet ring, for I have chosen you [as the one with whom to renew My covenant to David's line],'" declares the LORD of hosts.

¹Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen's death. And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

²Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss].

³But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.

⁴Now those [believers] who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word [the good news of salvation through Christ].

⁵Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.

⁶The crowds gathered and were paying close attention to everything Philip said, as they heard [the message] and saw the [miraculous] signs which he was doing [validating his message].

⁷For unclean spirits (demons), shouting loudly, were coming out of many who were possessed; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

⁸So there was great rejoicing in that city.

⁹Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

¹⁰They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God!"

¹¹They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic.

¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women.

¹³Even Simon believed [Philip's message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

¹⁴When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

¹⁵They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

¹⁶for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession].

¹⁷Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

¹⁹saying, "Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

²⁰But Peter said to him, "May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money!

²¹You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.

²²So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

²³For I see that you are provoked by bitterness and bound by sin."

²⁴But Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me."

²⁵So, when Peter and John had given their testimony and preached the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about salvation] in many Samaritan villages [along the way].

²⁶But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south to the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza." (This is a desert road).

²⁷So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

³⁰Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

³¹And he said, "Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading: "Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.

³³"In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him]. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth."

³⁴The eunuch replied to Philip, "Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?"

³⁵Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation].

³⁶As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?"

³⁷[Philip said to him, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he replied, "I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]

³⁸And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

³⁹When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the good news [of salvation] to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea [Maritima].